1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an eyeglass lens and to a method of manufacturing the same. More particularly, the present invention relates to an eyeglass lens having a water-repellent thin film on the outermost surface thereof that is capable of effectively preventing the adhesion and retention of water droplets, and to a method of manufacturing the same.
2. Discussion of the Background
A water-repellent thin film is currently formed as the outermost layer of most eyeglass lenses to prevent the adhesion of water droplets, sweat, and grime such as fingerprints, and to facilitate their removal. Various water-repellent agents for forming such water-repellent thin films and various methods of forming water-repellent thin films have been examined in recent years (see Reference 1 (Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication (KOKAI) Heisei No. 05-215905), Reference 2 (Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication (KOKAI) Heisei No. 10-133001), Reference 3 (Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication (KOKAI) No. 2003-238577) or English language family member US2003/139620A1, and Reference 4 (WO2009/028389) or English language family member US2011/117273A1, which are expressly incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.
The water droplets that adhere to the outermost layer of an eyeglass lens hinder the view of the wearer. When the water dries, the traces of the water droplets that are produced (so-called water spots) not only impede the view of the wearer, but also compromise the external appearance of the eyeglass lens. Thus, it is desirable to impart to the outermost surface of an eyeglass lens a level of water repellency that is adequate to effectively prevent the adhesion and retention of water droplets on the outermost surface thereof. However, conventional methods, including the methods described in References 1 to 4, does not necessarily impart adequate water repellency to the outermost surface of an eyeglass lens in this respect. Accordingly, there is a need to further enhance the water repellency of the outermost surface of an eyeglass lens to prevent the adhesion of water droplets and the generation of water spots on the outermost surface thereof.